Apparatus for treating effluent or other liquids and for the separation and recovery of matters of different densities



L. LINDEN. APPARATUS FOR TREATING EFFLUENT OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND FOR THE SEPARATION AND RECOVERY OF MATTERSOF DIFFERENT DENSITIES.

APPLICATION FIL ED JAN- 26, 192].

Patented Oct. 24, 1922.

Patented Get. 24, 1922.

snares ATENT LUCIEN LINDEN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING EFFLUENT OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND FOR THE SEPARATION AND RECOVERY OF I'IIATTERS OF DIFFERENT DENSITIES.

Application filed January 26, 1921. Serial No. 440,006.

vT0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIEN LINDEN, a sub ject of the King of the Belgians, and residing at London, Engl and, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Efliuent or Other Liquids and for Separation and Recovery of Matters of Different Densities, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the removal of suspended impurities or other matters from liquids in apparatus of the type in which the flowing liquid is subjected to abrupt deflections and to alterations in its velocity resulting from differences in the cross sec tional area of the channel, conduit or the like in which it flows. I

The object of the invention is to provide a a compact and easily manipulated apparatus for effecting a rapid separation of the impurities or other matters such as metal, grease, oil or the like The invention consists in apparatus for treating liquids to effect the rapid separation of suspended impurities or matters, in which an internal flowing stream of liquid is subjected in succession to abrupt upward, downward and again upward deflection each accompanied by a sudden change of ve-loc1ty in the neighbourhood of a quiescent space into which the impurities or other matters are projected and eliminated in accordance with their specific gravity.

The invention further consists in apparatus as indicated in which a medium of lighter specific gravity than the liquid say for example air, is introduced in the neighbourhood of a quiescent space to accelerate the upward projection and elimination of impurities or recovery of other matters of a lighter specific gravitythan' the liquid.

. The invention further consists in apparatus as indicated. in which a heated medium say for example steam, is introduced for freeing greasy matter and assisting its elevation through the liquid.

The invention further consists in apparatus as indicated, in which means is provided for the introduction of chemical reagents which may assist in the precipitation of the lighter or-otherwise soluble impurities or other matters.

- i The invent-i011 further consists in apparatus in which means are provided for washing out the apparatus when desired.

The invention also consists in the improvements in apparatus for treating liquids for the removal of suspended or other matters therefrom, as hereinafter described.

The accompanying diagrammatic drawing shows by way of example one form of apparatus for carrying the invention into effeet.

In the convenient form of apparatus illustrated in the drawing, the liquid to be treated is discharged by a suitable pipe or main a, preferably provided with control means 7), into the open end of an upright tubular member 0 extending downward into a cylindrical vessel in the form of a cylinder cl, having an inverted conical hemispherical or like bottom cl provided with a central pocket (Z the entrance to which is preferably screened by a series of battles e in the form of a plurality of concentric cylindrical bands arranged so as to provide a cup or dished grid above the entrance to the pocket (Z The vessel. (Z, cl is positioned within two successively larger concentric vessels 7'' and 1 preferably of similar shape and having bottoms f, g.

Around the cylindrical wall d about midway between the top thereof and the com mencemcnt of the converging bottom d there is provided a continuous opening or series of openings (Z having an area at least equal to the cross sectional area provided between the cylindrical wall (Z and the upright central tubular member 0. Above the openingor openings (11" there is preferably positioned a series of concentric bands h, j

forming a grid extending across the space in the first vessel and also the space between the first vessel and the wall f of the second vessel.

The second vessel f, f is of such a size that the space or channel between its walls and the walls of the first vessel (13, d is conthe cylindrical walls or the vessels, sat l ci rcu ar tube s haying apertur s pointing tional area at least equal to the space in the second vessel leading thereto.

The third vessel 9, y is'ot' the same shape as the others and also provided at its bottom end with a central. pocket 9 the dimensions of this vessel being such that the space between it and the vessel f, f is considerably larger than the space between the vessels d, d, and f, f.

Drain pipes or conduits l: and Zaire carried from the bottom ot the pockets of the first and third vessels either coiurentrically or in any suitable way to thje exteriorot the apparatus where they are each, provided with control *alves n and Z, alter which they may, if desired be connected and carried upward to a :turther control valve which is 'eapable of easy access tor controlling the outlet oi the sludge from the apparatus when the elimination of impurities only is desired. For other purposes the pipes may be taken to separate suitable receivers or the like.

Around the vessel a 'little below its upper edge is ar'anged a collecting trough or gutter g at the level at which the liquid is intended to stand duringwoi iing .co'nditions, this trough being pro ded with an outlet pipe m fitted with a suitable control valve m. y I I p i Around the upper edge of 't liefvessel (Z, at a lower level than the upper ot the vessels f and 9, but above the trough g there is provided a trough d" or if preferred a pair of concentric troughs (Z",'(Z", as shown on its opposite side, this trough or pair of troughs being provided with a suitab'leoutlet pipe or pipes such as 0 controlled by valve means such as 0'.

The piped conductingi'tlie liquid into the mouth ot the upright tubular member is providedwith a downwardly turned endu', which preferably terminates above a petewhich may contain av 7 i ftdesired. TVithinthe bottom of thepoekets (Z and 5 ol the first and third ve lstubes q and r are provided with fielder: ions or'ros i or plain orifices fl er-admitting; steam in streams p .,..1 11 ,r or any desired subdivision when desire-("l and srn'nlarly per'torate-d tubes 8 and s are carried in rings below the series of bands h andj forming the 'd'abeve the opening d b etween the first and second vessels. Tribe rings 6, If and t arealso provided round the angleor radius where the bottolii joins tubes being providedwith ajer'tur est poihtn the direction of the surface of the bottom through which water with cheinical if'de sired under adesirable pressure maybedischarged for washing; out the apparatus ivlien desired, A p

Qarried round withinthe aperture Z? is a into the spaces in both the firstand second vessels through which air under pressure may be discharged when desired for assist- 111g in lifting impurities or other i'natters of a lighter specific gravity than the liquid to the surface of the spaces in the first and see 0nd. vessels.

The apparatus operates as follows:-

' The ellhlent or other liquid containing iilat'ter which is to be sepa'ated therefrom passes from the downturned Outlet a, oi the inlet "niziiin (2 into the central upright tube 0, flowing, if desired, over a solid reagent which will be pradu'ally dissolved and operate in the liquid to fix light impurities (or other matters) or by chemical action to convert into insoluble suspended matter other iinpuriti'es or matters which might at the time be in solution in the liquid.

The liquid passes from the bottom or the central tube 0 intothe first vessel (Z, cl with suflieient velocity to project the heavier of the 'inipuritiesor matters through the protecting grid 6 into the comparatively quiescent space in the pocket 6Z where they are discharged at will while the liquid with the lighter i'i'np i'irities or matters rises up to the space between the central member and the .walls of the "first vessel at a reduced speed. The liquid then passes through the aperture (Z into the space between the first and sec ond vessel, in which a further immediate reduction in its veloeityand an ab rupt-c'lefiection occurs. This results in the projection of impurities or matters'oit a lighter-specific bravity than the liquid upward through the 'pfrotedtil'ig' grid 7t and jinto a (pi'iesceiit space above the grid from where they ma be eliminated at will. v

v The liqui d new passes dammed between the "first and second vessels atthe lower ve- 'locity and through the erture f to the bottom of the second vest l into the space betweenthe second and time "vessel where it undergoes a third abrupt deflection and sudden reduction of velocity, finally rising within the third vessel g, g and overflowing iiito the trough hen the liaiid contains impurities or other matters 'of a lighter specific gravity than the liqulith compressed air from. the circular pipe 8 is admitted below the protecting upper grid h, j to assist in carrying this matter to the-surface of the liquid in the space of the first and second vessels. hen anyjappreeiable amount of this inatter'has collected upon'the sur tacer' the 'outlet 'm from the "apparatus may he closed until the level of liquid has risen siiifieiently for the lighter liquid or other niatter which may forexjample'be offal-greasy nature, to o'verfloivi into the 'one "or two trougzhs pmease around the upper edge of thefir'st'ves sel. "Where the collection of this greasy or other lighter mattersis of importa-nee, as for simple in'theseparation of'nietals by the flotation process. two or more troughs are preferably provided, each with separate outlets, so that matter of different consistencies and which may besubjected to different after-treatment may be obtained therefrom. I

\Vhere the liquid contains greasy matter which is liable to entangle heavier impurities or matters which would alter its specific gravity, either or both of the steam jets s, 8' may be employed for softening or melting the grease and allowing the matter of greater and less specific gravities than the liquid to separate. Admission of steam may also be employed in the pockets of the first and third vessels at the pipes g and 1" "for melting grease which may be entangled with heavier matter and allowing its passage through the liquid. Air or other fluids may be also admitted for the treatment of the deposit.

In some instances, the apparatus may be provided with a small central pipe c shown in dot and dash lines passing downward to the top of the pocket (Z through which lime in solution or the like may be introduced for co-acting with the impurities in the pocket and rendering their settlement more certain, and (or) to sterilize, it required, the deposit.

The apparatus may be formed in any size and repetition of means suitable for the quantity of liquid to be treated, and it desired two or more sets of apparatus. preferably of successively increasing dimensions may be employed together to treat the liquid one after the other when prolonged settlement is desirable.

The waste water resulting from various trade processes may be eiiiectively treated in this apparatus to render it it for reutilization, or the effluent from houses, works or any other source may be in like vessels employed in the apparatus may be rectangular or of any desired form with suitable converging bottoms. Other alterations and additions may also be introduced without in any way departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In an apparatus for treating liquids to efi'ect the rapid separation of suspended matter therefrom, means whereby an internal flowing stream of liquid is subjected in succession. to abrupt upward, downward and again upward deflection, means for causing each deflection to be accompanied by a sudden change of velocity in the neighbourhood of a quiescent space int-o which the impurities or like matter are projected, means for separating and eliminating the constituents according to their specific gravity in distinct locations, means for introducing a medium of lighter specific gravity than the liquid, such as air, in the neighbourhood of a quiescent space, and means whereby a heated medium such as steam is introduced for freeing greasy matter and assisting its elevation through the liquid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LUCIEN LINDEN. 

